Car-wheel bearing.



W. F. DANIEL.

CAR .WHEEL BEA RING. APPLICATION man JULY 15, ms.

1,21 8,839. Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

WILLIAM F. DANIEL, OF BRISTOL, TENNESSEE.

GAB-WHEEL BEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed July 15, 1916. SeriaINo. 109,499.

To all whomitmay concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. DANIEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bristol, in the county of Sullivan and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Wheel Bearings,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car wheel bearings, and more particularly tocertain improvements in the construction disclosed in prior U. S.Letters Patent No. 1,108,068, granted to me on the 18th day of August,1914.

The car wheel bearing disclosed in my prior patent above referred to wasof the type employing a hub for the car wheel, having an integral oil orgrease chamber surrounding the end of the axle and connecting with theinterior of that portion of the hub which contains the usual rollerbearings for the axle. The construction as disclosed in my prior patentincludes two steel washers which are cast in the chamber surrounding theend of the axle, and a cotter pin, or similar device, whichpassesthrough a perforation in the axle outside of the washers and retainsthem in position. The oil chamber surrounding the end of the axle insaid prior construction is separated from that portion of the hubcontaining the roller bearings by I a partition cast integral with thehub of the wheel, .and contains an aperture to receive the cylindricalend portion of the axle. This partition performs, in that construction,the two-fold function of retaining the rollers in position, and actingas a bearing for the two washers. In the practical use of this inventionit has been found that when any unusual strain is thrown upon the wheel,as for example, when the wheel splits a switch, the partition which isof cast metal tends to break, thus rendering the wheel worthless. .Inorder to overcome this tendency it has been necessary to make thepartition very heavy, thus adding weight to the parts, and contractingthe spaces on either side of said partition in the wheel hub, which isobjectionable.

With a view to overcoming the above, and other objections, the presentinvention contemplates casting a thin steel ring or plate, which hasbeen previously fashioned, in the core in Such manner that the castmetal of the walls of the wheel hub will form around the edge of theplate in a molten state, and

firmly embed the same as a permanent part of the casting. By casting asteel platein the hub of the wheel to form a partition between the oilchamber and the chamber containing the roller bearing as hereinexplained, the entire length of the wheel'hub can be materiallyshortened, and the parti- Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

tion, being of steel, is very much stronger,

and breakage, thereof from the ordinary strains to which these wheelsare subjected when in use is prevented.

Another feature of the invention consists in forming a shoulder at apoint near the end of thewheel axle which bears against the steel plateabove described to constitute a thrust bearing. This has been found inpractice to present a very much stronger construction than that in whichthe thrust bearing is between the end of the axle and the inside of thewheel cap. It also permits the hole in the steel plate to be madesmaller than would be the case if the axle was not reduced in size toform the shoulder, and thereby adds materially to the strength of thepartition, as compared with former constructions.

wheel is composed of the usual tread portion 8, spokes 10, and hub 12,which latter is extended outward beyond the end of the axle to provide achamber 14 for containing oil or grease. The interior portion of the hub12 is provided with a spring steel lining 22 within which is containedthe circular series of steel rollers 26, surrounding the axle 1. Thegrease chamber 14 is shown as cast integral with the main portion ofthehub 12, and a steel plate 29 provided with a perforation 31 is castin the hub in position to separate the chamber containing the roll ers26 from the grease chamber 14, the peripheral edge portion of the plate29 being surrounded by the cast metal of the hub 12, during the moldingprocess, so as to retain said plate permanently in position, as

shown. The end portion of the axle 1 is reduced where it passes throughthe perforation 31, and the shoulder 39 thereby formed bears against theinner face of the plate 29, and forms a thrust bearing for the axle.Perforations 18 are so formed, at suitable intervals through the plate29,.to permit the passage of the lubricant therethrough.

Outside of the plate 29, and surrounding the reduced end portion of theaxle, are two steel washers 30, 32, which are held in place by thecotter pin 3%, and at suitable points in the wall of the chamber 14holes are tapped to receive the pipe plugs 38 to permit access to thecotter pin, as well as to enable lubricant to be inserted. The washers30, 32 are cast loosely in the chamber 13 and have their inner facesdressed off smooth while their outer faces may, if desired, be rough.This arrangement of the cotter pin and washers relative to a partitionseparating the roller-receiving chamber from the lubricating chamber isfully shown, described, and claimed in my prior U. S. Letters Patentabove referredto and forms no part of the present invention. The chamber14 is designed to contain suitable grease or oil which will flow to theroller bearings of the axle through the openings 18. Felt packings 40,42 are preferably inserted in recesses formed between the housing 4: andthe hub 12, and between said housing and the axle, as shown, to preventthe escape of the lubricant at these points.

The plate 29, being of steel, offers that amount of resistance to thetorsional strains incidental to the use ofcar wheel, and similarbearings,'which is sufficient to effectually resist said strains and toprevent the fractures which are. liable'to occur in the case of a castmetal partition, as in prior constructions. It has been found inpractice that a steel plate may be made quite thin,' and yet be able towithstand these strains as well as or better than a cast iron partitionof con siderable thickness. I am thus enabled to materially shorten thelength of the wheel hub by the use of such cast-in steel plate, as

compared with prior constructions, which is a decided advantage inbearings of this type. By reason of the fact, also, that the thrust ofthe axle is sustained by the steel plate 29,

instead of by the inside of the end wall of the oil chamber '14, theliability of fracturing such end wall is entirely] obviated, and

' strains due to the trust of the axle are very effectually resisted.

' Changes may be made in the form, construction, or minor details of theseveral parts herein shown and described without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what i I-claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

a lubricating chamber integral 1. In a wheel, the combination with ahub, of a partition formed of a plate of hard metal having its edgescast in the hub and surrounded by the metal of the hub so as to form alubricating chamber at the outer end of the hub, and an axle having itsend portion projecting through a hole in said partition into thelubricating chamber.

2. In a wheel, the combination with a hub, of a lubricating chamberintegral with the hub and surrounding the end of the axle, a steel platehaving its edges cast in and surrounded by the metal of the hub, saidplate forming a partition separating the lubricating chamber from thebearing chamber, and an axle in the hub having its end portionprojecting through a hole in said partition and extending into thelubrieating chamber.

8. In a wheel, the combination with a hub having a bore containingroller bearings, of a lubricating chamber integral with the hub andsurrounding the end of the axle, a perforated steel partition separatingsaid chamber from the hub and having its edges cast into the metal ofthe hub during the molding process, and. an axle arranged within the huband having its end portion projecting ghrough said partition and intosaid cham- 4:. In a wheel, the combination with a hub, of a lubricatingchamber integral with the hub and surrounding the end of the axle, aperforated steel partition cast in the hub and separating said chamberfrom the main portion of the hub, and an axle within the hub having areduced end extending through said partition and a shoulder bearing uponthe inner face of the partition.

5. In a wheel, the combination with. a hub, of a lubricating chamberintegral with the hub and surrounding the end of the axle, a perforatedpartition separating said chamber from the hub, and an axle having itsend portion reduced to extend through said partition and a shoulderengaging the inner face of the partition to form a thrust bearin i i. Ina wheel, the combination with a hub, of a lubricating chamber integralwith the hub and surrounding the end of the axle, a perforated steelplate cast at its peripheral edge in the metal of the hub during themolding process and provided with a central perforation, said partitionseparating said chamber from the hub, an axle having a reduced endportion projecting through said partition, a washer castin said chamberand surrounding the axle, and a pin in the axle outside of the washerfor retaining said washer in place. I

7. In a wheel, the combination with a hub having a bore containingroller bearings, of

wth the hub andsurrounding the end of the axle, a perder bearing uponthe inside face of the par- :Eorated steel partition havin itsperipheraltition, two washers cast in said chamber and edge cast in the hub duringt e molding opsurrounding the axle on the opposite side of 1 oration andprovided with a central perforathe partition, and retaining means in theaxle tion, anaxle having its end portion reduced outside of the washersfor retaining said and extending through said perforation into washersin place.

the lubricating chamber and having a sho'ulv WILLIAM F. DANIEL.

